Nameless ≫ Jarchie

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"You're quitting?" Jay's Varsity coach yelled. He was red in his face and his yelling had turned the gym silent. The whole team turned to face little Jay who seemed even smaller than usual as the coach towered over him and he looked at the ground. He didn't want to quit. Putting up with the team wasn't easy but he had never quit anything in his life before. People usually quit him, not the other way around.

"I think so," Jay mumbled, shuffling his feet nervously. His dad gave him an ultimatum. It was either go to school and quit the team, or switch schools. He understood why his dad thought it was best for him to quit the team. Jay was miserable and it wasn't helping his mental health. He loved the sport but even his love for it was dimming lately. Maybe going down to Junior Varsity was the best thing.

The coach stared at him sternly and crossed his arms over his chest. "Is that a yes or a no? Because if you quit you're not getting back on this team for as long as I'm coaching it."

Jay frowned and opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted.

"You're not quitting." Chad, the team captain, yelled out. His cry shocked everyone in the gym, causing Jay to finally look up. "You're not quitting because of us, are you? Because if you are then you're even more pathetic than I thought." He huffed.

"I thought you wanted me off the team. Wasn't that the whole point of making my life a living hell?" Jay snapped, shocking everyone as well.

Chad took a few furious steps towards the kid and practically growled. "You're not quitting," he repeated.

"I don't understand." Jay shook his head in disbelief.

"You. Are. Not. Quitting. What's so hard to understand about that newbie?"

"Why? Why shouldn't I quit? I was probably going to get kicked off anyways considering I've been skipping school everyday to avoid the bullying you caused."

"How was I supposed to know the school would drag it out or that you'd take it so hard?" Chad mumbled.

"That's the thing! My life is already hard enough without you purposely making it worse and if quitting the team saves me from falling off the deep end then I'm doing it!" Jay yelled.

"You're not quitting. You're too good to be on Junior Varsity and the team is better with you on it no matter how much I don't want to admit it. I care about winning and you'll help us win. It's a good arrangement."

"For everyone except me." Jay sighed. "My dad gave me an ultimatum anyways. Quit the team or switch schools. I'm not switching schools over this."

"Then I'm giving you an ultimatum. Stay on the team or your life is about to get a hell of a lot worse." Chad grit between his teeth. By now he had made it across the gym and was standing over Jay.

"Chad, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop threatening my players considering you apparently caused this whole mess in the first place!" The coach yelled, spitting all over Jay and Chad who cringed.

———

Nameless had been at Archie's place for over an hour. He was sitting on his front steps, his head leaned against the brick walls of the quaint house and his eyes closed. He was trying to think, but he couldn't even do that. When it came to Archie, he just never knew what to say.

The boy only opened his eyes when he heard footsteps walking towards the house, fast at first but then increasingly slower as if the owner of them was reluctant. Finally they stopped and Archie was forced to lay his eyes on the raven haired beauty who was casually glancing over him as if nothing happened.